The Federal Ministry of Justice and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have called for coordinated efforts between federal and state institutions to resolve key challenges threatening Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, including multiple taxation, infrastructure vandalism, and regulatory overlap.
The call was made during the First Annual Workshop for Attorneys-General on Emerging Issues in the Communications Sector, held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Lagos.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), described the communications sector as vital to Nigeria’s digital economy, with over 220 million active voice subscriptions and 52% broadband penetration as of Q1 2025. He stressed that issues such as inconsistent state regulations and infrastructure sabotage are hindering sectoral growth.
“Nigeria’s communications sector is central to financial inclusion, remote education, and national development,” Fagbemi said.
He cited the 2024 Ogun State multiple taxation dispute and the 2023 Kano base station vandalism as examples of state-level actions that stalled network expansion and investment.
To address these concerns, Fagbemi proposed:
· Legal and policy harmonisation between federal and state governments
· Creation of a Federal–State Regulatory Coordination Forum
· Uniform Right of Way (RoW) policy
· Joint enforcement mechanisms to safeguard infrastructure
· A consolidated and fair digital taxation framework
He also urged Attorneys-General to provide constitutional support for state-level digital economy laws and to champion frameworks that uphold data privacy, cybersecurity, and digital rights.
NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, echoed the need for cross-government collaboration.
“Regulation cannot exist in silos. Challenges legal, fiscal, or operational demand whole-of-government solutions,” Maida stated.
He highlighted the need to:
· Review the Nigerian Communications Act (2003) to meet current realities
· Harmonize telecom-related taxes to remove disincentives for investors
· Clarify overlapping mandates of regulatory agencies
· Ensure robust protection of telecom infrastructure, designated as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) under the 2024 Presidential Executive Order
Maida cited Anambra State’s RoW policy, which led to a 38% surge in fibre optic rollout, as a successful example of what unified policy action can achieve.
“As we enter the era of AI, IoT, and high-speed networks, collaboration is no longer optional. This forum is the beginning of a stronger, unified approach to national digital development,” he concluded.
The workshop is expected to become an annual forum for aligning legal, regulatory, and technical strategies in the evolving Nigerian communications landscape.
